Abraham S   

New tutor

I offer English and Spanish classes

What is your favorite word in your language and why?

Petricor in Spanish, which also exists in English as petrichor. While the word has Greek roots: πέτρα (pétra, piedra, stone) and ἰχώρ (ikhṓr, icor, ichor), it was actually coined in the 20th Century! I guess we still love Greek. Anyway, ichor is the fluid that ran on the veins of gods in greek mythology. So, petricor is: the ichor of stones. Or rather, the divine essence of stones. Which really refers to the smell of rain. And that's what rain smells like, folks.

What is your favorite dish from your hometown? If you no longer live there is there a good local restaurant that serves it?

My hometown, Torreón Coahuila, has a local dish called gorditas. Picture a thick, griddled corn pocket stuffed with traditional Mexican fillings. Think of it as a warm corn pita filled with slow-cooked stews. Mmmm. Rustic, comforting, and one of northern Mexico's signature street foods.

Besides the languages you teach, do you speak or study any other languages?

I'm currently learning Japanese (N5) in Hotaru Centro Cultural, a cultural center where I'm also working as a marketing manager on my free time. I'd love to learn enough Japanese, so I can teach English and Spanish to Japanese speakers! Thus, the circle of life shall be complete.

What are your interests outside of teaching at Strommen?

All my life has been surrounded by fantastic stories in books, videogames, movies and TV. Across the years, I've published some short stories on local magazines, but one of my bucket list items is publishing my own book. Right now, I'm locking in to finish writing my first collection of short stories, titled "La forma de lo inefable". The form of the ineffable. Mostly a recollection of strange and unsettling fictional stories, each one focusing on one obsession of the human mind.

What do you consider your hometown? Why do you love it?

Torreón is called "the pearl of the desert". Probably a title made up by some marketing guy. But really, it's a blooming town right in the middle of the largest desert of our continent. Streets are wide (allegedly due to an architectural mistake), so parking space is never an issue, and the sky looks just as wide-reaching, because we don't have tall buildings. During the latest eclipse, the city filled with tourists, because it was one of the best spots to see it. It's a dusty town with just about 2 big malls, and way too hot in the sun. And even if water is a rising issue, Torreón produces an impossibly large quantities of corn, melon, watermelon, tomato, chili, grapes, pecans, and the best milk ever, Leche Lala.